The loss-making US postal operator USPS started delivering free product samples to US householdsthis week to engage new customers, test new products and generate sales.
With the introduction of an innovative co-op service from USPS, thousands of households acrossthe USA are receiving from this week onwards a “Samples Showcase” box with food and personal caresample items as an incentive for customers while also delivering results for participatingmarketers.
Sample Showcase is a marketing service which brings together the power of direct mail and thepromotional effectiveness of product sampling to generate sales for consumer productmanufacturers.
For this week’s full-scale launch, more than 250,000 targeted consumers at households in Austin(Texas), Chicago (Illinois), Denver (Colorado) and opt-in consumers across the USA will receiveSample Showcase packages.
Market testing conducted in May 2010 received positive responses from participating consumers,with 95% of recipients saying they were very excited to receive Sample Showcase in their mail.Respondents overwhelmingly enjoyed the contents, with 98% saying the mix of products appealed tothem, and 97% said the products were relevant to them. A significant number of survey participantsalso responded that after trying the product sample they had purchased the item.
Paul Vogel, president and chief marketing/sales officer at USPS, commented: “Sample Showcase isa highly effective way to deliver product samples directly to consumers, and it arrives at thehousehold in an attractive package. By harnessing the unique ability of the mail to access thehousehold in a highly targeted manner, product marketers now have an engaging, measurable andcost-effective way to break through the clutter, build a customer base and increase sales.”
Sample Showcase is assembled and distributed by StartSampling, a leading sampling sales anddistribution firm, under the contract with USPS.
